Born of Fire
by Sailor Rayearth
Summary: Set during the Silver Millennium. The planet she was born to has always been one of fire. Fire and War. Those were their elements. And the citizens, from the royal family to the lowest house in poverty, embraced War and Fire very well. But war isn't just fought with swords, arrows and shields. It's fought with words, wit and writing as well.


Prologue

The planet she was born to has always been one of fire. Fire and War. Those were their elements. Ever since the Great Battle where their first ruler, King Aries, fought against Queen Artemis and the other First Monarchs on the tiny, inhabitable planet between their planet and Saturn. That had been hundreds upon hundreds of years ago….just before the creation of the Silver Alliance.

And the citizens, from the royal family to the lowest house in poverty, embraced War and Fire very well. Such had been the way from nearly the beginning. It was a natural order now. A role the people relished. But for how much they loved War, they also loved times of peace. The people knew that war wasn't meant to go on forever, that it needed to end, lest all countries involved fall to chaos.

But war isn't just fought with swords, arrows and shields. It's fought with words, wit and writing as well. And only the mightiest of rulers know the truth that sometimes that old phrase "the pen is mightier than the sword" may be true...of course, it's not always true.

* * *

Chapter 1

Love, true love, wasn't a rare notion on Mars. In fact it was quite simple. Not nearly as simple as on Venus, but it still thrived under the two twin moons orbiting the planet.

The pain of a contraction was nothing compared to the pain she felt when she learned her husband refused to watch the child be born. As the first-born wouldn't be a boy, he wouldn't attend out of protest. Not like it was her fault the child was a girl. The scientists on Mercury had proven that males determined the sex of a child, least in mammals. Birds on the other hand…

Harpinna knew that her husband didn't love her. There had always been a rumor about the current king. The rumor which stated that due to some horrific accident his mother committed, he had been born without a red string that reached back to somebody. She had merely written it off as a rumor, but over three years of marriage, she had become a believer. Not that she would tell anyone that.

But it was not as if she loved him either. Maybe once she did, maybe even slightly still, but now they would be called a political match. Ones her parents used to accelerate themselves near the top of the court hierarchy. Which she promptly had them thrown out of.

Another contraction rolled though her body and she swore she could feel herself rip apart as the baby prepared to move through the birthing canal. The midwife-in-training leaned over next to her and whispered what sounded like soothing words, as the pain spiraled up her body. Another, the head midwife, told her, rather bluntly, that she would only be able to ride out the pain. As the pain passed, Harpinna slowed her breathing down allowing larger quantities of air to enter her bloodstream and slowing down her heart rate, just like the midwives instructed her to do.

* * *

Outside the palace, on the training grounds, swords and shields were left discarded in the dirt, only the soldier's soul weapons remained on the hips or were strewn across the backs, and even then some were discarded. Most every one of those souls, who had hours earlier been putting those weapons to use, stood in groups muttering amongst themselves. Occasionally a hum of an arrow or a small thud as an unsharpened sword hit a practice dummy could be heard. But those were either people being punished or the most dedicated warrior.

High General's Biston and Tereus were amongst the ranks who were talking quietly to each other. Just the two of them, as any other soldier was too afraid to approach them. "The wait is killing me. Does it get any easier?" Biston asked suddenly.

Tereus looked up from the arrow head he had been examining and turned to his younger companion. He smiled as the unmistakable looks of impatience and worry were written all over Bistons' face. "Haha, keep calm. You must not have a wife er kids yet. Labor aint exactly the fastest thing in the worlds. Least it aint for us, I hear Venusians have hellova easier birthin process." Tereus continued on, noticing the growing impatience in his companions' face. "She'll be fine, both the queen and our future princess."

"What makes you think it'll be a girl?"

"You heard nearly every prophet on Mars predicted a girl. Now, call me a spiritual old fool, but that's enough for me. 'Sides I got a fifty percent chance of being right. Care to take me up on that bet?"

"You're a reckless, old man, Tereus. And I refuse to take part in your gambling addiction."

"Oh come off it, Biston, it's all for fun. And my joking is keeping your worrying mind of the labor." The older man laughed and soon enough Biston began too as well.

* * *

Time eventually caught up with the queen and if it hadn't been for the near constant contractions, she would have been asleep in bed. But after seven gruelling hours of labor, the cries of a baby girl could be heard echoing throughout the palace.

"She'll be a strong girl, your highness. These old eyes can see it." The head midwife said as she handed the baby back to the exhausted queen. Around her all the other midwives nodded their head in agreement.

The queen opened her mouth to speak when the door to the room was thrown open. And when she got a good look at the man standing in the door she had to bite her tongue and instead focused on her fussy daughter. Around her the midwives bowed and remained that way. "General Nisos." She acknowledged before going back to her daughter. She smiled slightly when her daughter found the nipple and began to suck.

"The child. Is it I girl like was predicted?" Nisos asked. And when the queen nodded yes he forcibly hid a scowl. "The King wished to know if the baby was born indeed a girl." He tensely stated. His nervousness only increased when the queen looked up, away from her child, and glared at him.

"He had nearly every soothsayer on Mars try to predict the gender, from the oldest of disciples to the youngest of apprentices." Harpinna stated. She turned away and looked down at the suckling baby. "Nearly all of them predicted a girl. I have no idea why the king didn't believe the majority. Maybe it was denial or stubborn stupidity. If you had indeed been a boy, your father, the fool he is, would have protested pointlessly." She mused, addressing the nursing child. She had a light playful tone, to the untrained ear. But to those with trained ears, it was laced with a condescending sneer.

Anyone in the room, who knew the queen wasn't joking, suddenly became tense about the potential fight about to break out. Why anyone would dare challenge the Queen is a mystery. But General Nisos was one of the three High Generals of Mars. The only two-now three, who were above him and the two other generals, was the royal family.

Sensing the tension and deciding to leave, Nisos bowed and backed out of the room before something regrettable happened. Harpinna, and everyone else who was present, watched as he did so. He paused in the door frame and straitened himself. "Congratulations on your healthy delivery, Your Majesty. And of the health of the baby." He said before turning out of the room. Immediately the tension that surrounded everyone in the room dissolved, save for Queen Harpinnas' who still glared at the door, questioning the sincerity of Nisoss' words of celebration. All but two of all the midwives left soon after, the head midwife and her student, who moved to the corner of the room. Leaving the mother and daughter alone.

_No doubt your father sent him. _

* * *

Nisos bowed as he entered the room. "A girl." He stated, his eyes still locked to the ground. "Just like most of the soothsayers claimed." In front of him, King Meleager stood reading some documents instead of attending the birth of the first child. His not-so-silent protest, which from the words from the High General, was not for nothing. Still he was still upset; woman couldn't be queens, not in his mind at least. They were weak and emotional. Good-for-nothings besides being a broodmare. "She'll be queen if nothing is done, your highness."

"I know the law!" Meleager yelled. "Out!" He demanded.

* * *

"What is the child's name?" A midwife asked. Queen Harpinna jerked her head up at the midwives question. The question of her childs' name was brought up quite often during the pregnancy. And every time, Queen Harpinna merely dodged the question. She had thought of several names for both sexes, but the names she had decided for a female child had left her mind the instant the first truly painful contraction had hit.

"That time already?" She asked. Next to her the midwife apprentice nodded.

"The word of your delivery has spread throughout the palace like wild fire, please excuse the pun your Highness. Everyone wants to know the name of her highness." She stated referring to the baby.

Harpinna looked down at her daughter who had fallen asleep against her chest. "Well, I suppose they should know the name of their future queen. The sad truth is I can't remember what I planned on naming her." The queen laughed. Next to her and across the room, both midwives laughed. The laughter died into silence as Queen Harpinna looked back down at her sleeping child. "I think I have a name. Let your name be 'Raya'."

* * *

In case you couldn't tell by now, this story takes place during the Silver Millennium. Also if you, the readers, would take the time to visit my profile and click the link to story cover art, that would be wonderful. Thanks.


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